Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Egans were in with us as part of the group when we announced this. It was a great honour to meet them.

The answer to the Deputy’s question is "Yes". On whether the retrospective element requires the new agency to be set up, the answer is "No". We are very deliberately putting the legislation together in such a way that parents will be able to go for court orders and it will not require the agency to be set up. The agency will take time to set up. It will need to hire staff and will then be involved in developing a number of regulations.

Critically, as soon as this legislation is passed and signed by the President, there may be some procedural issues that will have to be put in place. I have no doubt there are. However, once that is done, it will be a matter of parents seeking and receiving court orders under the new Act.

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